Top Historical & Heritage Places in Karnataka

Hampi is a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site situated on the banks of Tungabhadra River in northern Karnataka. Situated about 340 km from Bangalore & 377 km from Hyderabad, Hampi is one of the best heritage sites in India and among the must include places in your Karnataka tour packages.

Hampi is an extremely significant place in terms of history and architecture as it stands within the ruins of the city of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is an open-museum of architecture, religion, and history dotted with innumerable gems that were hewed from stones. Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple, and Hampi Bazaar are among the must include places in your Hampi tour packages.

The ruins of Vijayanagara Empire in and around the village of Hampi are spread over an area of more than 26 Sq.km. The famous Vittala Temple is located 2 km east of the Hampi Bazaar. Explore our Hampi Travel Guide for complete details on the stunning heritage city. Hampi can also be visited along with Badami tour packages.

Distance from Hubli: 164 Kms

Badami, also called Vatapi, is one of the must include places in Karnataka Tour Packages. It is located at a distance of 36 km from Bagalkot, 104 km from Hubli & 457 km from Bangalore. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Karnataka.

Cave temples, fortresses, fine carvings, wonderful architecture, and breathtaking views are the must include places in Badami Tour Packages. Badami is located in a valley at the foot of a red sandstone rock formation that surrounds Agastya Lake. Boothnath Temple, Banashankari Temple, Badami Fort, Cave Temple 1-3, Mallikarjuna Temples, and Mahakuta Temples are the prominent places to visit in Badami.

Badami is famous for several early inscriptions dating back to the 6th century. Badami can also be visited along with Aihole & Pattadakal Tour Packages.

Distance from Hubli: 104 Kms

Sringeri is a renowned pilgrimage center located in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. About 88 km from Chikmagalur, and 318 km from Bangalore, it is one of the important places of pilgrimage in South India, and among the must include places in Karnataka tour packages.

Sringeri is well known for Sharada Peetham, among the must-visit places as part of the Sringeri holiday packages. Sringeri Sharada Peetham is the first and foremost of the 4 Peethams established by the renowned 8th-century saint Sri Adi Shankaracharya.Vidyashankara Temple, Chennakeshava Temple, Sharadamba Temple, and Sri Parswanath Jain Tirthankara Temple are the other prominent Sringeri places to visit.

Adi Shankara Temple, Kere Anjaneya temple, Malayala Brahma Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, Torana Ganapati Temple, Kigga, Sirimane Falls, Agumbe, Kudremukh are other attractions here. Sringeri can be visited along with Udupi Tour Packages.

Distance from Hubli: 293 Kms

Situated on the banks of Malaprabha River, Pattadakal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Badami & Aihole known as Chalukyan Group of Monuments. Pattadakal is among the popular Tourist places in Karnataka. It is about 439 km from the city of Bangalore.

Pattadakal is the place where the coronation of Chalukyan kings took place. Along with Aihole, Pattadakal is considered the cradle for South Indian Temple architecture. The main complex has about 10 temples date back to 6th - 9th centuries, that are the must-visit places as part of Pattadakal tour packages. The temples are built in different architectural styles representing Dravidian, Nagara, Phamsana, and Gajaprastha models.

Virupaksha Temple, Sangameshwara Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, Kashivisvanatha Temple & Galganatha Temple are the most prominent places to visit in Pattadakal. Pattadakal can also be visited along with Aihole & Badami Tour Packages.

Distance from Hubli: 122 Kms

Situated on the banks of the Malaprabha River, Aihole is one of the popular places to visit in Karnataka for history buffs, & architecture enthusiasts. It is situated at a distance of 13 km from Pattadakal, 34 km from Badami, and 443 km from Bangalore.


A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Aihole, along with Pattadakal, is considered as the cradle for South Indian Temple architecture. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Karnataka. There are more than 125 temples in Aihole constructed between the 5th and 8th centuries during Badami Chalukya's rule, which are the must include places in Aihole Tour Packages.

Durga Temple, Ladkhan Temple, Ravana Pahadi, and Archeology Museum are the top places to visit in Aihole.
Aihole can also be visited along with Pattadakal & Badami Tour Packages.

Distance from Hubli: 136 Kms

At a distance of 39 km from Kemmangundi, 47 km from Shimoga, and 79 km from Chikmagalur, Amruthapura is a village located in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka which is well known for the famous Amruteshwara Temple. It is one of the historical places to visit as part of Kemmanagundi Packages.

The Amruteshwara Temple is an ancient temple built in 1196 AD by Amruteshwara Dandanayaka, a general of the Hoysala ruler Veera Ballala II. Ruvari Mallitamma, the well-known Hoysala sculptor and architect is known to have started his career here working on the domed ceilings in the main mantapa. On the porch of the temple is a large stone inscription, a fine example of medieval Kannada poetry. This temple is situated near the Bhadra Reservoir in the Malnad region surrounded by coconut and palm plantations. It is one of the best places to visit in Kemmanagundi.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple was built using soft claystone. This medium-sized temple showcases excellent craftsmanship of Hoysala architecture. This temple is in the ekakuta style, it has just one vimana, unlike other trikuta temples built by Hoysalas at Somnathpur and Belur. The temple has a large maha mantapa and a ranga mandapa connecting it to the beautifully carved main sanctum. The inner shrine is square-shaped with ...

Distance from Hubli: 264 Kms

At a distance of 11 km from Kumta, 22 km from Gokarna, 31 km from Honavar, 59 km from Karwar and 56 km from Murudeshwar, Mirjan Fort is a beautiful fort located in the village of Mirjan near Gokarna. It is one of the most popular heritage places to visit in Gokarna.

Located on the banks of the Aganashini River, a tributary of Sharavathi River, the Mirjan Fort is known for its architectural elegance, and is one of the must include places in Gokarna Tour Packages. Built over an area of about 10 acres, the fort is approached through a series of wide steps that lead to the interiors of the fort. It is a double-walled fort built using laterite stones and has high walls and bastions with high turrets. The fort has four entrances and is surrounded by a moat with interconnected wells.

Mirjan Fort has a rich history and there are many versions of the origin of the fort. According to one version, the fort was built in the 16th century by Chennabhairav Devi, Queen of Gersoppa, a subordinate of Vijayanagar kings. Her reign was one of the longest in the history of female domination in Indian history, from 1552 - 1606. The stronghold of her territory was centered on North and South Kanara districts and South Goa. After the battle of Tallikota in 1565, the territory was attacked by Bijapur Sultans. ...

Distance from Hubli: 166 Kms

At a distance of 26 km from Koppal, 43 km from Gadag, 70 km from Hampi, and 79 km from Badami, Mahadeva Temple is an ancient temple situated at Itagi in the Koppal district of Karnataka. It is one of the popular heritage temples in Karnataka, and among the popular places to visit near Hampi as part of Hampi Tour Packages.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi was built in the year 1112 CE by Mahadeva, a commander (dandanayaka) in the army of the Western Chalukya King Vikramaditya VI. It was constructed on the general plan of the Amruteshwara Temple at Annigeri. The Mahadeva Temple has the same architectural components as Amruteshwara but there is a difference in their articulation. The well-executed sculptures, finely crafted carvings on walls, pillars, and the tower make it a good example of complete Western Chalukyan art which speaks volumes about the taste of the Chalukyan artisans. An inscription dated 1112 CE in the temple calls it Devalayagala Chakravarti means Emperor among Temples. The Mahadeva temple is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Mahadeva Temple is an example of Dravida articulation with a Nagara superstructure. The temple plan consists of a shrine (cella) which is connected to a closed mantapa (hall) by a vestibule (antechamber). The closed mantapa leads to an open mantapa. This open mantapa has 64 pillars, 24 of which are full pillars that support ...

Distance from Hubli: 100 Kms

At a distance of 10 km from Gadag, and 77 km from Badami, Lakkundi is a historical place situated between Hubli and Hospet. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Karnataka, and among the must visit places part of Badami Tour Packages.

Lakkundi is a place of historical importance with about 50 temples and 30 inscriptions from the period of the later Chalukyas, Kalachuris, and the Hoysalas. Kashi Vishweshwara Temple, dedicated to Lord Siva is a grand temple with wonderful carvings on the towers and the doorways. The temple was built around the 11th century during the late Chalukyas period. The architecture and carvings of the temple have similarities with the Hoysala temples at Belur & Halebid. Nanneshwara Temple looks like a simple and small replica of the much elaborate Kashi Vishweshwara Temple. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Badami.

Lakkundi is also noted for its veiled wells, artistically built with decorated enclosures enshrining lingas inside the walls. The Manikeswara Temple exhibits the artistic and architectural marvel of the wells constructed during that period. The sculpture museum maintained by the Archeological Survey of India is an added attraction here. There is also a Jain Temple dedicated to Mahavira ...

Distance from Hubli: 66 Kms

At a distance of 23 km from Sirsi, 50 km from Jog Falls, 139 km from Karwar and 111 km from Shimoga, Banavasi, also known as Konkanapura, is an ancient temple town in Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka.

Situated on the banks of Varadha River, Banavasi lies in the Malnad region of Western Ghats.
Banvasi is the oldest town in the Karnataka state. The name Banavasi comes from the words Bana and Vasi, which means forest and spring respectively.

Banavasi was once the capital of Kadamba rulers, an ancient royal dynasty of Karnataka. They established in 345 AD and ruled South India for at least two centuries. Before the Kadamba dynasty, Banavasi was under the reign of different dynasties, including Sathavahanas, Chutu and Pallavas. From mid-6th century to 8th century, the town was under the rule of Chalukyas. After Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas of Kalyani, Yadavas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara kings, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan ruled this region. After the death of Tipu Sultan, the town was conquered by the British, who ruled the region till independence.

The Madhukeshwara Temple is the main attraction of Banavasi. This is one of the oldest temples in Karnataka. The main deity is Lord Shiva in the form of a honey colored Shiva Linga. The color of the Linga is the reason for the name, Madhukeshwara. The temple is a simple structure with minimal decorative sculptures on the walls and pillars. The temple is in the ...

Distance from Hubli: 100 Kms